SUNDAY April, 9, 2023
Easter
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Matthew 28:5-6
Mary Magdalene and other women came to visit the garden tomb where Jesus’ body was laid, while the remaining eleven disciples hid themselves in disbelief. At the dawning of the day, the first day of the week, all of a sudden there was a great earthquake. At the tomb, an angel of the Lord had descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.
The Pharisees and chief priests had requested that Pilate seal the tomb. This meant as many as 16 guards stood watch over the tomb during the night. They placed ropes over the stone with a Roman seal made of clay that was not to be broken (Matthew 27:62-64).
Why did the Jewish leaders want Jesus’ tomb secured? Calling Jesus a deceiver, they told Pilate what He had said when He was alive: “After three days I will rise” (Matthew 27:63). They thought Jesus’ disciples might try to steal away His body and then say to the people, “Jesus has risen!” They wanted to make sure that was impossible.
While alone with His disciples, Jesus taught them, saying: “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:30 NIV). Even though they did not understand Jesus, these things had now happened.
The angel proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ to the women at the tomb. Then the angel told them to pass on the message of Jesus’ Resurrection to His disciples: “...go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead....” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word (Matthew 28:7-8).
How has the Resurrection of Christ impacted your life personally? In what ways will you continue to spread the message of Jesus’ Resurrection to your family, friends, neighbors and others?
The resurrection was God the Father’s way of authenticating all of the truths that were declared by Jesus.
~R.C. Sproul~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
